** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** CURRENT METHODS FOR MEASURING FEED AND WATER INTAKE ARE BASED ON ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS, WHICH ARE COSTLY AND LIMITED TO LARGER SEEDSTOCK PRODUCERS OR RESEARCH CENTERS. AS A RESULT, FEED INTAKE IS MEASURED ON A FEW THOUSAND CATTLE ANNUALLY, AND CATTLE ARE NOT SELECTED FOR WATER EFFICIENCY TRAITS DUE TO A LACK OF INTAKE RECORDS. ADDITIONALLY, TO SELECT FOR EFFICIENCY, WEIGHT GAIN NEEDS TO BE ASSESSED FOR A LONG PERIOD, WHICH IS LABOR-INTENSIVE. DESPITE THE POTENTIAL OF GENETIC SELECTION TO BREED CATTLE FOR EFFICIENCY, THIS PROCESS IS HINDERED BY THE LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF INDIVIDUAL INTAKES AND WEIGHT GAIN. THIS BOTTLENECK IMPEDES RAPID GENETIC PROGRESS, WHICH REQUIRES PHENOTYPIC AND GENOTYPIC DATA FROM A LARGE NUMBER OF OFFSPRING PER BULL. OUR HYPOTHESIS IS THAT IMAGE-BASED BIOMETRIC BODY TRAITS CAN PREDICT FEED AND WATER EFFICIENCY TRAITS WITH HIGH ACCURACY, AND THESE NOVEL TRAITS, COMBINED WITH GENOMIC DATA, CAN ACCELERATE GENETIC PROGRESS FOR FEED AND WATER EFFICIENCY.THIS PROJECT OUTLINES AN INNOVATIVE PLANFOR NEXT-GENERATION PHENOTYPING OF EFFICIENCY TRAITS FOR BREEDING SELECTION. INTEGRATING THESE NOVEL TRAITS INTO GENETIC SELECTION PROGRAMS WILL EMPOWER PRODUCERS TO BREED MORE EFFICIENT CATTLE, ULTIMATELY REDUCING PRODUCTION COSTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT WHILE MAINTAINING HIGH STANDARDS OF ANIMAL PRODUCTIVITY.